Now when they brought him to Iskandaríya
Another dispensation ruled the world.
They set his coffin on the plain; all earth
Was full of hue and cry. Men, women, children,
Above a hundred thousand had one reckoned,
Flocked to Iskandaríya to the coffin.
The wise Arastálís stood forth; a world,
With eyes all tears of blood, was watching him.
He laid his hand on that strait coffin, saying:—
“God-fearing Sháh! where are thy prudence, knowledge,
And rede that this strait coffin should become
Thy home? In youth's day, after these few years,
Why hast thou chosen the dust for pillowing?”
The Rúman sages all assembled there:
One said: “O brazen-bodied Elephant!
Who overthrew thee? Who desired thy place?
Where now are all thy shrewdness and wise counsel?”
Another said: “Thou laidest up much gold:
Why now is gold embracing thus thy body?”
Another said: “No man escaped thy hand,
But why, O Sháh! didst thou rub hands with Death?”
Another: “Thou hast rest from pain and toil
As well as from the quest of rule and treasure.”
Another: “When thou goest before thy Judge
That which thou sowed'st thou shalt reap withal.”
Another: “Impotent is he that used
To shed the blood of kings.”

Another said:—

“Soon shall we be as thou art, thou that wast
An uncut gem.”

Another said: “The Master,

On seeing thee, will teach thee things forgotten.”
Another said: “Since he hath been death-smitten
We should not clutch at self-aggrandisement.”
Another said: “O higher than moon and sun!
Why hidest thou from all thy goodly face?”
Another said: “A man of many parts
Is fain to cover him face-deep in gold,
But now, O man of such accomplishment,
And brave! the yellow gold hath whelméd thee!”
Another said: “Thou hast put on brocade,
And veiled to us therewith thy lovely looks.
Now lift thy head therefrom, for crown and armlet,
And ivory throne, of thee are all in quest.”
“Thou hast been severed from thy moon-faced
youths,”
Another said, “and thralls of Chín and Rúm,
And huggest gold to thee. Oh! deal not thus,
'Tis not kings' usage, with brocade and gold.”

Another said: “What well advised reply
Will come to thee now that the Questioner
Will question thee, and say: ‘Why didst thou shed
The blood of great men, and with so much stress
Didst struggle after treasure? Didst not see
How many of the great have died and borne
Naught from the world with them except the fame
Of their good deeds?’”

Another said: “Thy day

Is over-passed, thy tongue hath ceased to parle.
Now wilt thou see a mighty Court—a world
Wherein the sheep is parted from the wolf.*

The observer of thy throne and crown should turn
His reins from greatness for, as 'tis with thee,
It will abide with none. The tree of greatness
Should not be planted!”

Said another: “Thy deeds

Are turned to wind, the chiefs' heads quit of thee.”
Another said: “Why in this Wayside Inn
Laboriously didst thou employ thyself,
Since this is all that thou hast gained by toil?
A narrow coffin is thine only wealth.
Thou seekest not the trumpet-call but choosest
The bondage of a bier?”

Another said:—

“What time thy troops depart thou wilt remain
All by thyself on this wide waste, good sooth!
With longing eyes pursue them as they go,
And mourn thine own lost life with boundless woe.”